An awkward final season for Russ but he departs a hero … and thoughts on the Carra Rud atmosphere (drum anyone?)

There have been lots of nice words said and written about Russell Martin since his departure was announced, every single one of them deserved, but I did start to nip up a bit when by the end of the week the subject started to do its usual 180 and the club started getting flak.

Some folk are really angry over the way Russ has been treated, citing Daniel Farke and Stuart Webber’s collective inability to manage the senior players. But I’m not so sure there’s a case to be answered.

As a player, Russ was at his best when – as Melissa Rudd put it in her fine EDP column – he was making those ‘marauding runs from right-back’.

That was him in his pomp and is the Russ I’d like to remember. The one who epitomised the Lambert years, who had the ability to time those surging runs to perfection (as gloriously demonstrated in that away way win at that place when he scored number four) and who could snuff out the threat of any tricky winger put before him.

Of course, he was also erudite, eloquent, brave, kind and unafraid to put his head above the parapet when others cowed away, but it’s as Lambert’s second lieutenant and a steady Eddie right-back with a penchant for getting forward that will, for me, be his City legacy.

And he’ll be back.

His dalliance with centre-back was, for me, an unneeded step and was one that ultimately tarnished a reputation that would otherwise have been unblemished, although – not for the first time – maybe that was just a blind spot on my part.

Successive City managers picked him to play there, so too successive Scotland managers; so those far more qualified than me saw something. Farke too saw something and, with Webber, decided early in his reign to hand Russ the captain’s stripes – but that was all undone quicker than anyone wanted in that horrible afternoon in Bermondsey.

What’s happened since has, understandably, been a little awkward for everybody but it’s a pro game with little room for sentiment and so to have included Russ in the summer training camp with the first-team when there was no chance of him playing would have been disingenuous on both sides.

That Russ embraced his time training with the Under-23s and used it to guide and encourage is simply a mark of the man.

In an ideal world, he’d have found a club before the end of the window and made the move but, as I understand it, because that didn’t happen both parties agrees that a mutual uncoupling was the best way forward, freeing Russ up to negotiate a deal that suits him and his family.

And it was also a mark of the man that he rode off into the sunset with his head held high and without even a hint of bitterness, despite what he may or may not think privately. Dignified to the last.

But I’m not sure, in the circumstances, how the club could have handled it differently. And I certainly don’t think Wes, for example, will feel as a senior player he was treated shabbily by Webber and Farke. Farewells like those afforded to Wes and John Ruddy are rare in football.

The back door rather than a big send-off tends to be the way in the modern game – not through choice but through logistics.

I don’t know Russ personally, but I think he will have understood.

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The Sheffield Wednesday band pitched up at Carrow Road on Thursday for the England Under-21. You’ll probably have heard.

They’re a marmite bunch; a few must love them, quite a few loathe them, but there’s little doubt that they do add noise and a certain something to any game they attend.

Games that have drifted off into being nothing much at all are at least spared the periods of polite background murmuring – those which we have become all too familiar with at Carrow Road – and can be quickly filled with a chorus or two of the Dambusters’ theme, Rule Brittania and whatever the hipsters’ tune of the day is.

And that in itself is something, but there was social media disagreement over their impact on Thursday night. Some thought they created atmosphere; some thought they grated; some thought they played songs that no-one knew the words to; some thought the constant drumming was annoying; some thought the trumpet was being played in the wrong key (may have made that one up).

But they did get people talking, arguably more than the game itself, and reignited the debate around the Carrow Road of 2018 and it’s librarian tendencies.

Now, I’m not typical of the ilk to be involved in this debate, 1) because I wasn’t there on Thursday night and 2) I’m not one of your ‘sing your heart out ’til you’re blue in the face for 90 minutes’ merchants, so am not best placed to comments on what is and isn’t needed to make Carrow Road a cauldron. But I do acknowledge it needs improving and I applaud those who are trying to make it better.

The efforts of Along Come Norwich and Barclay End Norwich deserve support from all parties and while some things will work and take off – hopefully then playing a part in an improved atmosphere – there are others that will be tried and fall by the wayside.

That’s the nature of the beast; ditto what works in, say, Selhurst Park may not work in Carrow Road. But’s let’s keep the debate civilised and remember that there is room for a good atmosphere and folk of a certain age.

I cringe at references to the unhelpful demographic of our support as being a major factor; as if an upper age-limit would free up tickets for the younger generation and somehow organically turn the place into The Westfalenstadion.

If anyone wishes to explain this theory to my 83-year-old dad they’re most welcome.

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Comments

It would be nice to give all players a great send off once their time is up at City but that will never happen and unlike Wes he will not get a testimonial unless it is to be announced at a later date??.

As with many players sometimes they get selected to play in a position that as supporters we wholely don’t agree with and on many occasions, he said that he felt CB was his best position, but like many on MFW will always remember him as a very good RB and possibly a stand-in CB.

As you mentioned never afraid to go out in front of the camera after a game and always honest in his comments.

We will never know what has gone on behind closed doors for the last 18 months unless a warts and all bio comes out (Mick D) but the Millwall game just killed not only his career at City the loan at Rangers wasn’t a success either for him, he might think otherwise who knows.

Whatever the outcome for both Russ and Wes at WBA, or any other club, I wish them well except when against City.

Bands – not my thing unless I am on the furthest side from them, never understood why this was taken up just a poor version of the Mexican Mariachi at least with them you can recognise the music

Hi Martin
Football and good music go side by side and bit of banter on both is how you make friends and cheer people up with memories, just like watching cricket does the same but no great sites for that

I’ve met Russell Martin a couple of times and he is indeed a good guy – whatever your perspective, really. I couldn’t fault him in any way and he was extremely pleasant to speak with..

More pertinently the ageism issue is an awkward one. It all started when we had a long waiting list for STs and certain vocal people got really animated about it.

Where I sit in the Upper Barclay (D Block) we have folks of all ages and we all rub along together. Surely that’s how it should be?

18 or 80 – some are doubtless younger or older – we all get along There’s a guy near my age and his father who sit in the row behind me and it’s nearly always the old boy who makes me laugh with his comments

Fair comments Gary, Russell Martin was a very good player in his day, from afar he seems to be a thoroughly professional and honest man who earned respect from those that know him best. However all careers come to an end, those in football and those in the real world. Footballers are very well recompensed during their career and so I don’t agree with testimonials. Not too many folk in the real world tend to get a hero’s send off from twenty thousand paying fans or earn thousands of pounds per week during their career. So goodbye Russ and Wes and good luck for the future.
The band on Thursday night was OK, I’m glad they were not too close to me but they did generate some noise in a fairly flat atmosphere. It maybe worth a try at a league game and create something to get the crowd going but they reall y do need some different tunes.I remember once seeing a samba band,drums, bugles and whistles on the pitch at Carrow Road at half time. Now that really did generate atmosphere and would be very good pre match build up.

Good article Gary. There was some comment with the original announcement that at some point the club would arrange for Russ to come back to receive a proper send off from the fans. If he has joined another club then not quite sure how that would work, but it would be good for something to be arranged. He has been a fantastic servant for City, Following the Lambert days, it will be his dash back home for the birth of his last child, and then dash back to Liverpool and then scoring the goal for the 1-1 draw that I will remember as his last quite remarkable contribution for City. But there was so much he did throughout his 9 year, and in terms of his loyalty to the club… that always shone through throughout.

With Wes also now having left, there is only Alex Tettey of the current group that comes close in terms of his length of service and depth of loyalty. For the rest of the squad they have years to go still, if any are to be worthy successors to this group of heroes..

Nice piece Gary.
It is not easy to give players like Russ the send off they undoubtedly deserve when they are not in or around the squad at the time of their departure. Russ for me deserved a farewell similar to the one afforded to Wes,his service and dedication to City is there for all to admire I think he knows that the Heart on the sleeve City fan has the utmost respect for his service and will always show that should he return in the colours of an apposing team. The very best of luck to a throughly decent man

If there should ever be a band for City games, PLEASE make sure it is ni the South Stand, or even the Barclay. ( I sit in the River End). I was just in front and slightly to the side of it on Thursday night – yes, they make a noise, but it’s not the same as the atmosphere you get when the teams on the pitch give you something to get excited about. I came away from the U21 game verging on a headache, but it still didn’t feel like a proper match, with fans singing their own songs.

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Good luck to RM wherever he ends up, Baggies or elsewhere (as long as it’s not down the A140), he played well for most of his time here, but there comes a time for both parties to recognise that it’s time to move on. I wish him all the best.

Playing over 300 games for City clearly puts Russell Martin in an elite group – something not to be scoffed at. That said, I always thought that the Russ contract extension an odd decision.

Two reasons really.

Firstly, although he’d been an excellent captain, I felt he was no longer one of the first names on the team sheet.

Secondly, bearing in mind his existing contract expiry coincided with the loss of parachute payments last summer, together with the huge loss of income associated there with, the decision seemed somewhat premature. Why not wait until December 2017 to review both his contributions over the first half of the season, in conjunction with our likely promotion prospects at that time?

While I wish Martin all the best for the future – who wouldn’t – he really should have been shown the door 2/3 years ago, as he was on the way down and it personified a lack of ruthlessness at the club. His career may have been furthered than it may ultimately be if he too had made the move elsewhere.

While he was more of a Stalwart than a legend, he will always be remembered.

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